Friends of USF victims remember them as family away from home, say they’re ‘shocked’ by killings

Doctoral students Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon came to the University of Southern Florida from Bangladesh. Hisham Abugharbieh, Limon’s roommate, has been charged with murder in their deaths.

University of South Florida students Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon.University of South Florida Friends of University of South Florida victims Nahida Bristy and Zamil Limon remembered the doctoral students on Tuesday as their family away from home and said they were “shocked” by their deaths.

Limon and Bristy, 27, were both from Bangladesh and had come to Tampa in 2024 and 2025, respectively, to attend the school and further their studies, their friends said. Bristy was studying chemical engineering, while Limon was studying geography, environmental science & policy.

Hisham Abugharbieh, Limon’s roommate and a former USF student, was charged last week with first-degree murder. Limon’s remains were found on Friday, while the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said it found additional remains over the weekend that it has not yet identified.

Salman Sadiq Shuvo, a USF student who got to know the pair when they arrived in Tampa, described Limon as a “modest and polite boy” with a “sweet smile,” and Bristy as a “lovely girl.”

“We are kind of a family in here,” Shuvo, who is also from Bangladesh, said about his close bond with the victims.

USF student Rifatul Islam, who also knew Bristy and Limon, described feeling “shocked” after learning of their murders at their “safe place,” the university community that they called home in the U.S.

“When we come here, back from 8,000 miles away from home, they are our family, our everything here and we meet at all the events, we have meals together, we play together,” Islam said about his friends.

Shuvo and Islam were in attendance at a court hearing Tuesday for Abugharbieh, 26, who was ordered to be held in jail with no bond pending the outcome of the case.

Abugharbieh was arrested Friday after a brief standoff at a residence in Tampa and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of storing remains in unapproved conditions, two counts of failure to report a death, battery, false imprisonment, and tampering with evidence, according to court records.

An attorney for Abugharbieh refused a request for comment on Monday.

Islam said he hopes to see justice served.

“We believe in the legal system here, we are with the legal system, we will try to be there and hopefully justice will be served, justice will be served for both of them,” Islam said.

Abiral Hasibshourav, a USF student who was also at the court hearing, spoke about how the university’s Bangladeshi community has come together in the aftermath of a tragedy. The university’s Bangladesh Student Association has served as a liaison, asking the institution for help preserving Limon’s remains in accordance with Islamic rites.

“We Bangladeshi people, we live as a family here, we share meals, we go out sightseeing, we live together,” Hasibshourav. “So, the entire Bangladeshi community is behind the BSA on this.”

In a statement, the university’s Muslim Student Association mourned the loss of Bristy and Limon, “two Muslims beloved by their community.”

“Their loss has left an unfillable void in our hearts and in our campus community,” the MSA said.

“No words can capture the depth of this loss,” the MSA said in the statement. “As a community, we are shaken, grieving, and searching for meaning in the face of such tragedy.”

Speaking after court on Tuesday, Hillsborough County State Attorney Susan Lopez told reporters that the next step is to take the case against Abugharbieh in front of a grand jury.

“Decisions will be made in the coming weeks, but we have to get through the grand jury process first and then we will determine whether or not we will seek the death penalty,” Lopez said.

In the bustling academic corridors of the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Zamil Limon, a 27-year-old doctoral student from Bangladesh pursuing a degree in geography, environmental science, and policy, was known as a dedicated researcher. His work focused on using generative AI to study the shrinking wetlands of Florida — a topic blending technology and environmental urgency. Limon shared an off-campus apartment with roommates, including Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh, and was close friends with fellow doctoral student Nahida Sultana Bristy, 27, who was studying chemical engineering. The two were reportedly considering marriage, their futures bright with academic promise.

Yet on the morning of April 16, 2026, something felt off. A classmate later recalled that Zamil Limon appeared visibly worried. Hours before he vanished, Limon confided that he “had something to take care of tonight.” Those words, heavy with unspoken tension, would echo in the investigation that followed. When Limon failed to respond to messages or attend his usual routines, concern turned to alarm. He was last seen around 9 a.m. at his Tampa residence on Avalon Heights Boulevard. Bristy was spotted about an hour later near a science building on the USF Tampa campus. Neither was heard from again. A family friend reported them missing to USF police on April 17.

What began as a missing persons case quickly unraveled into one of the most disturbing homicide investigations in recent Tampa Bay history. On April 24, authorities discovered human remains in advanced stages of decomposition inside a black heavy-duty trash bag on the side of the northbound Howard Frankland Bridge over Tampa Bay. The remains were positively identified as Zamil Limon. An autopsy by the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the manner of death a homicide, caused by “multiple sharp force injuries.” His body had been concealed in trash bags similar to those later found in the apartment.

The Worried Look and the Cryptic Statement

Classmates and friends described Limon as focused and reliable, deeply immersed in his research on Florida’s wetlands and AI applications in environmental science. But on that fateful day, his demeanor shifted noticeably. One classmate told investigators that Limon looked worried and mentioned he had “something to take care of tonight.” The phrasing was vague yet urgent — not the casual plans of a student juggling classes and research, but something that suggested personal trouble or impending confrontation.

This detail emerged early in the missing persons probe, adding a layer of unease. Limon was not the type to disappear without notice. His family in Bangladesh and his brother Zubaer Ahmed expressed disbelief, calling the vanishing “suspicious” and insisting it was “impossible” for him to simply walk away from his life and studies without contact. Friends noted that Limon and Bristy were serious about their academics and their budding relationship; running off together seemed out of character.

As days passed without leads, the worry deepened. Police processed the missing persons report and began canvassing the apartment complex and campus. Little did they know that critical clues, including a triplicate note found in Limon’s backpack, would later surface and fuel speculation about his state of mind in those final hours.

Inside the Backpack: The Triplicate Note

Among the personal items recovered during the investigation was Limon’s backpack. Inside, police discovered a triplicate note — carbon-copy style paperwork often used for official or multi-party records. The exact contents have not been fully publicized due to the ongoing nature of the case against the suspect, but its presence raised immediate questions. Was it a farewell message, a record of a planned meeting, a complaint, or something more mundane like academic paperwork that took on sinister meaning in hindsight?

The note’s triplicate format suggested intentional duplication — perhaps for records, witnesses, or as a precautionary measure. In the context of Limon’s worried appearance and his statement about having “something to take care of,” some speculated it could relate to interpersonal tensions at home. Reports later surfaced that Limon and another roommate had filed a complaint against Abugharbieh roughly two weeks earlier, after learning of the suspect’s prior criminal record. The nature of that complaint reportedly involved concerns over Abugharbieh’s behavior, with one account describing it as “psychopathic.”

Whether the triplicate note directly tied into that complaint, documented a conversation, or served another purpose remains part of the active investigation. Its discovery in the backpack, alongside other belongings, painted a picture of a young man who may have sensed danger or felt compelled to formalize something important before it was too late.

The Apartment, the Roommate, and the Evidence

Limon lived in an off-campus apartment with at least two roommates, one of whom was Hisham Saleh Abugharbieh, then 26. On April 24, as the search intensified, detectives visited the residence. They noticed Abugharbieh had a bandaged left pinky finger. Questioning revealed inconsistencies, and a review of phone location data placed Abugharbieh near the Howard Frankland Bridge.

A subsequent search of the apartment and surrounding areas yielded damning evidence:

Blood-stained clothes, Limon’s wallet, campus ID, credit card, and eyeglasses were found in a trash compactor.
Heavy-duty black utility trash bags — matching the one containing Limon’s remains — were discovered under Abugharbieh’s bed and elsewhere.
Cleaning supplies suggested an attempt to sanitize the scene.
Abugharbieh’s phone data helped pinpoint the disposal site on the bridge.

Abugharbieh was taken into custody following a domestic violence call and brief standoff. He faces two counts of first-degree premeditated murder with a weapon in the deaths of Limon and Bristy, along with charges including tampering with evidence, unlawfully moving a body, and failure to report a death. Additional human remains were later recovered south of the bridge, believed to be connected to Bristy, though her case remains under active investigation as of late April 2026. Bristy is still officially listed as missing by some reports, but authorities treat the case as involving two homicides.

Court documents outline a grim timeline. Limon was killed by multiple sharp force injuries. His body was then placed in trash bags and transported to the bridge. Prosecutors allege Abugharbieh used various methods to conceal the crime, including queries to ChatGPT about body disposal in some reports — a detail that has shocked the public and highlighted the intersection of AI with criminal intent.

A Promising Life Cut Short

Zamil Limon came to the United States to pursue higher education and contribute to environmental science. His research on Florida’s vanishing wetlands using generative AI represented innovative work at the crossroads of technology and ecology. Friends and advisors remembered him as diligent, kind, and future-oriented. A GoFundMe started by his graduate advisor has raised significant funds to support the families, reflecting the tight-knit academic community’s grief.

Nahida Bristy, also 27 and from Bangladesh, was equally dedicated to her chemical engineering doctoral studies. The pair’s relationship was described as supportive rather than distracting from their academic goals. Family members have spoken out, with Limon’s aunt calling the suspect “an animal” and demanding the death penalty. The families’ pain is compounded by the distance from Bangladesh and the horrific circumstances of the deaths.

The case has sent ripples through the international student community at USF and beyond. It raises difficult questions about roommate safety, mental health support on campuses, background checks for shared housing, and how seemingly minor complaints or worried expressions can signal deeper dangers.

The Investigation Continues

As of April 2026, Abugharbieh is being held without bond. The investigation remains active, with forensic analysis of the apartment, digital devices (including Limon’s laptop, which contained partially overwritten files), security footage, and witness statements ongoing. The triplicate note, the classmate’s recollection of Limon’s worried demeanor, and the statement about having “something to take care of tonight” form key pieces in reconstructing the final hours.

Authorities urge anyone with information about Nahida Bristy’s whereabouts or additional details from April 16 to come forward. The Howard Frankland Bridge, a major Tampa artery, became an unintended crime scene, its normal flow of traffic interrupted as recovery efforts unfolded.

Broader Reflections on Vulnerability

Tragedies like the deaths of Zamil Limon and the presumed loss of Nahida Bristy expose vulnerabilities in student life: the pressures of doctoral research, the challenges of living with strangers in a foreign country, and the sometimes hidden tensions that escalate behind closed doors. Limon’s worried look and cryptic comment serve as haunting reminders that distress signals can be subtle — a furrowed brow, a hesitant statement, a note left behind.

Universities and law enforcement continue to review protocols for missing students, especially international ones whose families may be oceans away. The use of AI in both Limon’s legitimate research and the suspect’s alleged queries adds a modern, unsettling dimension to the story.

In the end, Zamil Limon was a scholar with a passion for understanding and protecting the environment. His life ended violently on the cusp of significant contributions. The triplicate note in his backpack, like the worried expression on his face, may never fully explain what he sensed that night — but it stands as a silent witness to a promising future stolen too soon.

The search for justice continues, as does the mourning for two young lives dedicated to knowledge, now remembered in vigils, fundraisers, and calls for accountability.